Wire ropes are used in certain excavating machines and other machines where heavy lifting or pulling is required. In excavating machines (such as dragline excavating systems and cable shovels), wedge and socket assemblies are commonly used to secure an end of a wire rope. The socket in these assemblies includes a tapered passage or cavity that is adapted to receive the wedge. A wire rope is passed through the tapered passage in the socket, looped about the larger end of a wedge, and then fed back into the passage with the wedge. As the wire rope is tightened, the wedge is firmly fit into the passage so as to securely hold the wire rope against the sidewalls of the tapered passage in the socket. The socket also includes a clevis or other fastening arrangement that is coupled to a component of the machine, chain, etc. While such assemblies are effective in securing the wire rope, they can be difficult to release.